Book end



T. K. LEWIS BOOK END Filed Aug. 19, 1947 Nov. 7, 1950 `Patented Nov. 7, 1g50 [STATES PATENT OFFICE This invention relates to' book ends and more particularly to an improved book case or book holder having a pair of book ends connected together by a telescoping bottom so that the books supported therein maybe supported compactly irrespective of the total number of books between teeendsaf.; i Y

ftis an-object of this invention. to provide' a 109.91? Gasel fof aLthe. kind to be more particularly describedghereinafterrhaving a pair ofspring pres-sedi boekt". ends. .for L'clamping' ,books theref between and maintaining vthe;,endfbooks in bearefficient in operation. i

A further object ofA this invention is to provide a book case of this kind which` will properly support the books in a near vertical position so that the books will be preserved in their original shape by'being supported erect even after one or several books have been removed. K I

With these andfother objects in mind, which will become apparent from the drawings and description contained herein, this invention consists of the combination, construction and'arrangement of parts as set forth in the description and appended claim.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectionof a book case constructed according to an embodiment of this inventionv taken on the line I-I of Figure 2.

Figure 2 is a top plan view.

Figure 3 is a transverse section, partly broken away, taken on the line 3--3 of Figure 1,

Figure 4 is a fragmentary detailed transverse section taken on the line 4-4 of Figurel.

Figure 5 is an enlarged, fragmentary detail section of the connecting pin and slot of an adjacent, telescoping member.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral I designates generally a compact book end or book case which is so constructed and arranged that books contained between the ends thereof rwill be properly supported in avertical upended position and other books may be added to or removed from between the ends and the remaining number will be properly supported.

The book case I0 is formed of a :pair of opposed end members II and I2 connected together by a Y ThodoreKQLewis;Wauneta, Nebr. t 1 v Application August 19, 1947, Serial No..769',1'5v rola'im. (ci. 211-'43I` t Y Y 2 spring'pressedtelescopic lbottom I4. The end members II and-|2are formed-of `iiat vertically extending members which are` adapted to abuttingly engage the outer cover ofthe outer books` contained therebetween, inthe manner of conventional types of book ends. E

The bottom I4 which-is connected between theend members II and I2 is formed of a plurality of telescoping'm'embers or plates I5. Each of the telescoping members I is formed of a flat strip of metal; plastic or other'suitable material bent intoan invertedy U-shape. The side armsV I6 of the plate vI51depend from the side edgesfof flanges. The flangesISA provide for the' longif tudinal r'e-inforcement ofthe members I5 individually and ofthe bottom I4 as a whole. I'he upper side of the bight I1 forms the bottom of the book case I0 on which the books are to be supported. 4

The horizontal end members or plates I5 are nxedly secured to the end vertical members II and I2 by'downwardly bent lugs or flanges I8 through which bolts or nails I9 are extended and into the members II and I2. Each of the platesv I5 overlaps the adjacent plate on one transverse end thereof. `The upper plate of the overlapped members I5 is bevelled along the overlapping edge, as at 2li, to provide a substantially smooth continuous surface on the upper surface of the bottom I4. The width of each of the plates I5 is progressively less than the width of an adjacent plate so that they may be telescoped together when there are not enough books between the ends I I and I2 to hold the ends at their extreme open position. l

For connecting the intermediate plates I5 in sliding relation to each other and to the end members II and I2, a connecting member or pin 2| is flxedly secured to one end of each adjacent plate I 5 and is slidably engaged with an adjacent vplate I5. The connector 2| engages slidingly in a longitudinal slot 22 of the adjacent plate for supporting the adjacent plates slidingly together. The edges of the slots 2 2 are bevelled along their upper edges and the upper outer edges of the connecting pin are ared to engage the bevelled edges to provide a substantially flush surface over the connecting member 2| and bottom I4.

As the plates I5 are only slightly overlapped in their freely extended position, the extended bottom I4 will have the least support in this position. In order to relinforce the bottom I4 one of the nearly center members, as indicated at 24,

is overlapped a greater distance over and under both of its adfacent plates I5.

The book ease I 0 is biased to its closed position by a resilient spring member 25 connected between the end members II and I2. The member 25 is formed of a cylindrical or tubular ring 26 about a coiled spring 2'I. The inner end of the spring 21 is fixed to a center bolt 28 and the outer end xed to the inner wall of the ring 26. A U-shaped supporting bracket 29 is xed to one end member, as I2, for securing the spring member 25 thereto. The bight 30 of the bracket 29 is iXed to the member I2 by a bolt 3I or other suitable attaching means, and the inwardly eX- tending arms 32 are adapted to enclose the ring 26 therebetween. The bolt 28 is fixed between.,

the arms 32 so that the ring 26 may be rotated thereabout. An elongated flexible member, as 'a strap, 34 is xed at one end to the outer surface of the ring 26 and at its other end to the opposite end member II. The coil spring 2T, ring 26, and

strap 34 are so related that in the normal-position* ofthe member 25`the'stra3p 34 is adapted to beiY wound about the ring 26 and as the strap 34 is" extended the tension of the spring 2'I is increased so that the ends II and I2 are biased together convergingly and the-bottom I4 is telescoped with the -plates I5 in their-extreme inner overlapped position. Y

'-In the use and "operation of this book end, the end members II and I2 are biased together byfthe spring member 25 to a closed position limited by the length'ofthe closed telescoped plates I5 or by the outer edges of a number of books contained between the end members II and I 2, whichever is the greatest.

I do not mean to corinne myself tothe exact details of construction herein'dis'closed, but claim 4 all variations falling within the purview of the appended claim.

What I claim is:

A spring pressed telescoping book rack comprising a pair of vertical end members, confronting, transverse, inverted U-shaped bottom forming members on each of said end members, a plurality of intermediate, inverted U-shaped bottom forming members between said first named bottom forming members, each of said members formed with a longitudinally extending slot in the bight portion thereof, a connecting member carried by each of said bottom forming members slidably engaged in the slot of an adjacent member, each of said intermediate members being slidably engageable within the adjacent member and'spring means connected between said end members biasing said end members together and said rack to a closed telescopic position.

THEODORE K. LEWIS.

' REFERENCES CITED The 'following'references are of record in the file of this'patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 793,364 Fisher June 27, 1905 1,538,401 Holmes May 19, 1925` 1,682,423 Ross Aug. 28, 1928 1,876,346 Riddel Sept'. 6, 1932 1,923,996 .OldenbuschyJn 1 Aug. 22, 1933 2,051,448 `.Johnsonf Aug. 18, 1936 FoREiGN" PATENTS Number Country Date Great Britain Aug. 9,1928 

